The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-01-22

+; anu udpIlutsS uulintS tu'tt uaN "tIS ueiiShs-
| full to witness.
At Castle Ettlick, In the meantime, the
| Colonels telegram had produced some sur
prise.
Lady Flora and her husband. with Cen
! eral Mackenzie, OF Deep Deane, who had
| ridden over to see Mr.. Winstanley on Il
little business, We're breaktasting together
when il was handed in. They had just
been talking of the Colonel, to whose ar
| rival in the neiehborhood his old friend
and comrade, General Mackenzie, was
looking forward with great pleasure, and
| Lady Flora, who was q little puzzled by
the telegram. handed ii to him TO read.
| The General took in his ideas as those who
wish to live long should take their food
| slowly and with defberaiiGn lie adjusted
| his spectacles, held the little piece of pink
paper at the proper distance from his eyes,
| read the message 10 himself without any
change of cOuntenance, read il aloud slow
| ~, put the paper down, and Just as Lady
| Flora was going TO ask him what he thought
| of it, broke suddenly into one OF his ire
| mendous peals Of laughter.
| Ii was no light thing, this laughter of
/ the old Generals, as Lady Flora knew;
| and, tapping her foot on the floor to re-
press her impotence, she waited Till it had
| subsidized.
Pardon me, Lady Flora" lie said, "but'
-wiping his oyes-"now, really you know
| it's irresistible. Lyndon, of all people in
the Woodland Smith!-sly old fox--hls
doing, you may depena-introduced them
| asked him to help her on her way. Help
her, Why, Veronica could take all of us
in hand to- morrow-think nothing of it.
| Shed manage province-an army
| Are You speaking of the visitor you ex-
| peet to- ay?" asked Lady Flora, coldly.
"Yes-yes; she's the Miss Browne of the
| telegram. Don't you see2 | call her
Veronica. Her father, poor lad. was in the
| same regiment with me once. Well, must
be of. We expected her by an early after
noon train. We shall have TO make differ
| ent arrangements.
$50 shall l." said Lady Flora; and then,
| feeling that she had been little abrupt
| with her old neighbor, she said courteously
that she would make point OF calling on
( Miss Browne soon, and that she hoped She
| would enjoy her visit 10 the North.
! A curious old man, and as shrewd as he
was slow, was General Mackenzie, Of Deep
Deane. When, jogging along quietly on
\ his strong chestnut mare, he reached The
| bend OF the avenue, he pulled up. and gave
way 10 another of his gustP fits of laughter
laughed until his eyes we've red and his
cheeks purple.
"Ha, hal my lady" he muttered, de-
! lightedly. Caught out, are you? Janet
! Mackenzie is good enough for You in the
North, but not in the South. Janet Mack
enZies friends are different manner
| And thereupon he touched up his mare
! with the whip, and she started Oft at gall
| lop, taking him for clear two miles across
| the moor at single stretch. Alter which,
! having given sufficient bent 10 his youthful
| ha al
, steadily to his pretty old home in the Deep
Deane Valley.
! The evening of that day arrived III due
time. The General took his village cart
| to the station, and Mr.. Winstanley his
wagonette. As for Lady Flora, who had
been unusually depressed all day, she
dressed herself in black velvet gown,
trimmed with lace, put on a becoming
little matronly cap, and sat out on the ter
race in the soft evening light. 10 watch for
the return of her guests.
| Lady Flora was sitting alone, as We have
said, upon the terrace, but a faint pink
| blush tinged her cheek. 1t is curious how
even our small social sins find rs out. The
Mackenzies youngest daughter, Janet, had
been in London that season. She was
a pretty, lively, and amiable girl, but
she was poor; she was staying also
with people who did not move in
| quite the same circle as Lady
| Flora. For Percy's sake-Percy, who
was SO romantic-Lady Flora was careful
TO see as little OF Janet Mackenzie as pos
| sible. She felt now that she had been mis-
taken. Poor Lady Flora! She meant we'll,
and she was angry with herself when she
made mistake; but only those who have
tried it know how hard il is TO steer one s
bark safely through the rocks and shoals of
| London season.
II was very still mp here above the moors,
and long before the carriage was in sight
| Lady Flora heard the rolling of the wheels.
Then the ring of voices came toward her
on the air. That was Milly's laugh. How
gay and pleasant it sounded! She was
listening with a smile, when sound for
which she was wholly unprepared fell upon
her ear. Percy's voice! But ii was impos-
slble! He would be leagues away from
England by this.
She stood leaning over the parapet OF
the terrace, with her hand pressed TO her
heart to still its beating. If she had be-
lieved III phantom yoices-but she did not;
and if she did, what would it-what cor!d
1t mean? 1t came again subdued this
time, and mysterious, as if it were travel
ing away from her Feeling almost sick
with expectation and surprise, she looked
out. The carriage came in sight at last.
She saw il winding slowly up the long ave-
nue.. Yes; there was one figure more than
She was expecting TO Sea- figure that,
even in this dim light she could not mis-
take.
Percy" she cried out-"PercyH
AT the sound of her voice the yonnl
soldier sprang from the carriage, scaled
the side Of the hill round which 1t was
winding. raced mp the steps that led to the
terrace, and, bef1re his mother had fully
realized what had happened, caught her in
his arms, and kissed her pale face again
and again.
Why, Percy she cried out, breathless-
ly, rs il You, or is tt
Not a wrath, mother can assure you.
Come into the drawing room and have a
good look at me, and I'll tell You all about
it. / haven't really startled you too much.
have Il" he said. anxiously, for there was
O curioUsly bewildered look in her face.
Il should have telegraphed or written, but
| couldn't resist the temptation of dropping
down upon you like this"
He told her rapidly about the accident 10
the Samarcand. and his consequent leave,
and by the time he had come to the end OF
his story Lady Flora was herself again.
SO that / have you home," she said.
"home safely. what does anything matter:
You know 1t was never my wish that You
should 60"
But l must go sooner or later, mother.
We'll, We shall see about that. We need
not begin to talk of it yet, and there is the
carriage drawing up. Come down with NE
TO the hall.
As, leaning on her sons arm, Lady
Flora Went down the old oak staircase
which led to the inner hall, she looked SO
eomely and Young that Colonel Lyndon
conld have imagined that time had stood
still since, long ago, this beautiful woman
had captivated his bovish fancy.
She went forward to meet him with out
stretched hands and beaming eyes. A
thousand, thousand welcomes, Colonel
Lyndon" she said, and a thousand
thanks. ! asked you 10 bring me nav
daughter. and Yen have brought me NY
daughter and my son.
There was pleasant smile on the old
soldier face as he took his hostess hand.
1t gives me the greatest pleasure in the
world to have obliged yon." he said gal
lap- ,i,-. 81. a